An RFID system consists of a reader (sometimes called an interrogator) and a transponder (or tag), which usually has a microchip with an attached antenna. There are different types of RFID systems, but usually the reader sends out electromagnetic waves that the tag is designed to receive. Passive tags have no power source. Passive tags draw power from the field created by the reader and use the energy from the field to power the microchip's circuits. The chip then modulates the waves that the tag sends back to the reader. The reader then converts the new waves into digital data. Active tags have a power source and broadcast their signal. Active real time location systems don't respond to signals from the reader, but rather broadcast at set intervals. Which readers pick up those signals and software is used to calculate the tag's location.
Conventional RFID inventory management systems fail to provide fast and error-proof information in a timely manner, which creates inefficiencies. These inefficiencies have a qualitative and quantitative impact in the cost and timely management of hospitals and health care supply chains. The present invention improves the operation of current RFID technology which in turn improves the operational efficiency of hospitals and health care supply chains while reducing both inventory and labor costs.
RFID technology is helping improve the mobility of health care delivery. However, improvements in RFID technology can help provide better real time location systems, asset tracking, item tracking, human tracking, inventory management, recall management and expiration alerts. Application of RFID in the medical device industry is a growing field that is providing the best in care solutions to the patient and helping providers to achieve faster and more accurate results.